[ Litigation ] as a Key Elective : Students interested in a civil litigation practice should take one or more courses addressing complex litigation procedures, both before and after trial. The course will also provide insight into forms of dispute resolution that are alternative to the U.S. system (e.g., ADR processes as well as foreign legal systems).

General course
Description:

This course will address several major areas of civil procedure that are discussed only briefly in the basic civil procedure course as well as broader questions of procedural design. We will address the joinder of claims and parties; claim and issue preclusion (also known as res judicata and collateral estoppel); and the basics of class actions and other forms of aggregate litigation. Expanding beyond the rules, we will also spend considerable time exploring questions of procedural design: for instance, how does the U.S. procedural regime compare to civil procedure in foreign legal systems? How does federal civil procedure compare to the processes of alternative dispute resolution? What are the consequences of contemporary procedural reform on civil rights and social justice litigation? Elements used in grading: Exam.